


Careful Confessions

by itainthardtryin



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-23
Updated: 2015-03-23
Packaged: 2018-03-19 08:03:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3602565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itainthardtryin/pseuds/itainthardtryin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompted by anonymous on Tumblr: High School AU where Clarke is the student body president and Lexa is a nerd that runs the GSA. Lexa admires her from afar and is forced to interact with her over some GSA business. Turns out Clarke admires Lexa too and they flirt heavily and start to have a relationship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Careful Confessions

Clarke Griffin’s life is anything but difficult. She’s the most respected and popular girl in school and, as of six months ago, is also student body president. Since then her life has been full of meetings and presentations and generally making the school a better place.

Today is no different, as she’s scheduled a meeting with one of the students who runs a club that’s close to Clarke’s heart. She’s never talked to Lexa before, but she’s always kept her on her radar, watching what she does. She’d maybe even go as far to say that she’s slightly jealous of Lexa. Of how easy it is for her to be herself.

There’s a knock on the door, and it opens slowly allowing Lexa to make her way inside.

Clarke stands up to walk over and greet her. “Hi, I’m Clarke Griffin,” she says.

Lexa laughs. “Yeah, I know. I’m-”

“Lexa Woods,” Clarke finishes. “I know who you are, too. You’ve been doing an excellent job with the GSA.” Lexa is shocked. “Come, have a seat.” Clarke walks back to where she was sitting before, pulling out a chair for Lexa and seating her, before she sits down herself.

“So, tell me a bit about yourself, and about why you set up the GSA in the first place. I only know what other people have told me,” Clarke says, looking at Lexa intently.

Lexa takes a breath and starts to tell Clarke the story she’s told people many times before. At this stage it’s almost rehearsed. “When I was a freshman here I was the only out gay kid. People looked at me differently in the hallways, left me out of activities in gym. Bullying by exclusion. Then, sophomore year, there was a new kid in my class. Costia. She transferred here from Cali. She was unapologetically into women. Didn’t care who knew. She was unapologetically into me. After a few months we started dating. Then, junior year, as soon as she came, she left. By this time, some other kids in school had come out. I needed support to heal my broken heart, they needed support to have the courage to find their first love. So I decided to do something about it.”

Clarke hangs on every word, in awe of how much strength Lexa has. She’s been through so much, but she’s always persevered. Wanted to make the school better for everyone, despite most of the student body making her life there a living hell.

“I’m sorry about Costia,” Clarke says.

Lexa gives her a sad smile. “I’m over her now. It was a year ago. I’ve moved on.”

“Any new romances?”

“Not yet,” Lexa tells her. “I’m too focused on my finals and running the GSA. I don’t have enough free time for a relationship.”

Clarke scoffs. “Tell me about it. I know that feeling.”

“Why did you want to see me, Clarke?” Lexa asks, cutting to the chase.

“I want to come into a meeting. Talk to your members. Thank them for what they’ve done.”

Lexa is taken aback. “Wow, okay, awesome! It’ll be great for our image to have someone as popular as you come to our club.”

“I hope so,” Clarke says. “You meet tomorrow after school?”

“3:30pm in the library. Do you need me to prepare a projector or bring my laptop for a presentation?”

Clarke can’t help but smile at Lexa’s passion. “No, nothing like that. I just want to talk to you guys. The old fashioned way. Hopefully, as you said, I can bring some attention to the GSA. Help get you guys some more members.”

“That would be amazing, Clarke.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Lexa. 3:30,” Clarke says, getting up out of her chair. Lexa rises along with her.

“I’ll see you then.”

* * *

 

Clarke arrives at 3:15pm, to find Lexa alone in the library, putting chairs into a semi-circle in preparation for their meeting.

“Hey,” Clarke says, making Lexa aware of her presence. “You want some help?”

“Oh, hey! Yeah, that would be great actually. I need about another six or seven chairs. Just pull them over here.” Clarke grabs a chair and brings it over to help form the semi-circle. “Everyone’s excited that you’re coming, you know? You’re kind of a big deal.”

“I’m no different from you or them,” Clarke says, and something sparks in Lexa’s mind. She catches Clarke’s eye and she recognises the look. The deer caught in headlights look. The fear that you’ve given too much away. She doesn’t voice what she’s thinking though. She knows how damaging it can be to assume someone’s sexuality before they’ve come out. So she stays quiet and puts the final few chairs in the circle.

They make small talk for a few minutes, until the seats begin filling up and the clock hits half past. Lexa makes her way up to the open end of the semicircle and addresses everyone. “Hi guys, welcome to this week’s GSA. We’ll open discussion to the floor shortly if you’ve any issues you want to raise, but first we’ve got the student body president Clarke Griffin here to have a chat with us.” Clarke can’t help but smile at how enthusiastic and professional Lexa’s introduction is.

“Clarke?” she says, stepping back a little to give Clarke the floor. She should be used to this by now, talking to people, being the centre of attention. She’s done rallies and assemblies and class president debates, but her legs have never trembled like this, her palms have never been this sweaty.

Because this speech is different.

“Hi, I’m Clarke Griffin, student body president. I asked Lexa if I could come and say a few words with you guys, and she kindly said yes. I’ve admired you all from afar for a long time now. You’re brave, you’re inclusive, you’re changing this school for the better,” Clarke starts, and she means every word she says. “I know some people in this room are gay, some are straight, some fall in between, and some are just having a good time exploring what they like. And I applaud all of you for that.”

She can’t put it off any longer. She needs to get to the point or she’ll chicken out again, like she has every single time in the past. “The real reason I’m here today, is because I want to be part of your club. Because…” she takes a deep breath, “I’m attracted to girls, as well as guys.” There is an actual collective gasp from everyone in the room, including Lexa, as she says the words out loud for the first time to real people. “I’m bisexual, and I want to let the student body know, so I can show them that there’s absolutely nothing wrong with loving who you love.”

Clarke glances sideways at Lexa briefly, and she can see pride in Lexa’s eyes. Awe, even. “Every student in this school knows my name. And every student in this school respects me. I don’t know what I did to deserve it, or why the favor me over any of you. We’re all the same, and I’m going to join with Lexa to make sure that the entire student body knows that.”

Everyone claps, and Clarke feels victorious. Not in the way she did when she won the student election. No, this is completely different. She feels free, she feels inspired, she… She feels Lexa’s hand on her shoulder, and she freezes.

“That was a very brave thing to do, Clarke,” Lexa says so only they can hear. “I’m looking forward to working alongside you.” Clarke smiles. Lexa raises her voice so everyone in the room can hear her. “I think you’ll agree that Clarke deserves another round of applause, and also the reassurance that she’s not alone. We’re all here for her, right guys?” The room erupts into applause again, and Clarke catches Lexa’s eye. Lexa smiles and Clarke mouths a “thank you”.

 

* * *

 

That night, Clarke goes on Facebook and finds a friend request from Lexa. She accepts it right away.

She takes ten minutes to browse through her profile, mostly her pictures, where she sees Lexa in a completely different light. She’s done so much and been to so many places - Clarke didn’t know Lexa was fond of adventure. She finds pictures of her at the Grand Canyon, the Eiffel Tower, even Sydney Harbor Bridge. Clarke wonders how Lexa has time to visit all these places, and more importantly, how she can afford it.

She scrolls back, going deeper and deeper into the past, until she finds a picture of Lexa and Costia. Her stomach drops a little and she shakes it off. As she continues through Lexa’s pictures, she gets an idea of how absolutely besotted with Costia she was. Maybe that’s why she travels. She doesn’t like being in a place that reminds her of what she lost.

Suddenly, Clarke’s laptop lets out a notification sound indicating that someone has messaged her on Facebook. It’s Lexa.

_hope you don’t mind that i added you. just thought if we’re gonna be working together we should have means of contact._

Clarke reads the message three times before replying.

_I don’t mind at all. :)_

She watches as the icon on the screen shows her that Lexa is typing.

_I’m glad. i see word has spread about your appearance at the gsa._

Lexa is right. Word spread like wildfire. Before Clarke knew it she was getting texts from her friends congratulating her. She would be lying if she didn’t tear up when Raven text her saying _‘proud of you, you did a good thing today clarke. always here for you. love you._ ’ It’s been overwhelming. In the best way possible.

_it’ll die down soon._

_don’t count on it. people thrive on this. most popular girl in school admits she’s into girls as well as guys? this is the awakening our school has been waiting for._

Clarke actually laughs out loud. Awakening? Lexa is acting like it’s the second coming of Christ or something. Clarke decides to try her luck.

_and what if people start thinking you’re my girlfriend? saying as we’re gonna be spending more time together…_

She watches as Lexa types and then stops. A few seconds pass and she types again. Clarke waits anxiously.

_i should be so lucky._

And what the hell is Clarke meant to say to that? She doesn’t want to keep Lexa waiting, but she doesn’t want her to think she’s not interested either.

_makes two of us._

 

* * *

 

They meet after school the next day. Clarke is sick and tired of seeing the walls of their classrooms, so she suggests that they go somewhere else. Lexa gets in the passenger side of Clarke’s car, and Clarke watches as a group of guys from the football team point and stare as she backs out of the parking space. She knows rumors are going to fly. But she doesn’t care.

“Where are we going?” Lexa asks after they’ve been driving for a few minutes.

“Wherever you want. Lex,” Clarke says. She panics slightly after realising she’d used a nickname but when she takes her eyes off the road for a split second to look at Lexa and sees the smile on her face, she relaxes.

“I like this,” Lexa tells her, reclining the seat back a little more to make herself comfortable. “Just driving.”

“And I like having gas in my car, so we’re going to have to stop sometime.” They both laugh. “But I guess we can drive for a while. You can even have control of the music.”

Lexa smirks. “A huge responsibility, are you sure I’m ready for such an honor?”

“As long as I can make out the lyrics, and it’s not some guys dressed in black screaming at me, then I don’t care what you put on,” Clarke says, never taking her eyes off the road. Lexa watches her from the side, admiring her profile.

 

* * *

 

They drive for an hour or two, Lexa shouting out “left” or “right” every time they come to a junction. They end up in a part of the city neither of them have ever been to, and neither of them know how to get back from.

“Google map it,” Clarke says, pulling the car over at the side of the road. The sun is starting to set, making the sky turn magnificent shades of red and yellow.

“Or we could just sit here for a while,” Lexa suggests, looking out at the sky. The area they’re in isn’t dangerous. It’s clean and posh and Lexa feels safe there.

Clarke feels safe there too, but for a different reason.

“Tell me your story,” Lexa requests. “Why now? Why tell everyone you’re into girls? You know you could have fallen from the top right back down to the bottom again.”

Clarke shifts her body in her chair and turns to face Lexa. The glow of the sunset on Lexa’s face makes her look even more beautiful than Clarke already thought she was. It takes extra effort for her to concentrate.

“It sounds like such a cliché, but I guess I’ve always known. Ever since I was young, I’ve known I look at women differently than just having a ‘girl crush’”. Clarke uses air quotes to emphasise the words. “This is kind of embarrassing to admit, but over the past few years I’ve kept you on my radar. I saw you in the halls with Costia, and it made my chest ache. I wanted that. What you had. But I saw how they treated you and it terrified me. You are so much braver than I could ever be, Lexa.”

“All I did was love someone. We all do it. I’m not special.”

Clarke shakes her head. “You are.”

Lexa smiles and looks away from Clarke, blushing. “This isn’t meant to be about me, Clarke. Tell me about you.”

“I started developing a serious crush. On a girl. And I wanted to be able to act on it,” Clarke continues. Lexa’s eyes never wander from Clarke’s. “I was sick and tired of just admiring from afar.”

Lexa considers this for a second. “So, this girl. Are you going to tell her?”

“I think she already knows.”

Lexa waits two, three seconds, her eyes on Clarke’s lips. She gives Clarke enough time to correct her, to tell her she’s wrong. But she doesn’t. After what feels like an eternity, Lexa leans in and closes the gap between them.

Clarke kisses her, and kisses her, and kisses her. She can feel Lexa smile every time Clarke lets out a breath or a moan. She kisses her, she kisses her, she kisses her.

Seconds or minutes could have passed when Clarke pulls away. “If she didn’t know before, she definitely does now.”

Lexa’s smile is bright and beautiful, and it makes her eyes light up. Clarke wants to be the person who always makes Lexa that happy. And when Lexa reaches out to pull Clarke in for another kiss, she thinks she might just get the chance.


End file.
